Dryer balls are a well known dryer device in the household products field and are desirable for several reasons. For example, in a tumble dryer, the gentle movement of the dryer ball throughout a load of fabrics enables the dryer ball to act as a natural fabric softener to fluff and soften the fabrics. Dryer balls can be free of the chemicals found in many fabric softeners, making them an alternative for users with sensitive skin or certain allergies. In some instances, dryer balls help reduce dry time, which saves time and energy in completing a load of laundry. Dryer balls can be reusable for several dryer cycles and therefore, are more cost-effective and less wasteful than other dryer devices or fabric softener options, such as disposable dryer sheets. Dryer balls can also be more effective than dryer sheets, which are light in weight and often get caught in one piece of fabric, rather than moving throughout the load of fabrics.
In some instances, however, users prefer the benefits of using both a dryer ball and a dryer sheet. The dryer sheet acts as an additional fabric softener and often includes a fragrance that some users prefer. And while dryer sheets can be discarded after a single laundry load, some users reuse dryer sheets, for example, in subsequent loads of laundry, in closets and drawers for their fragrance, to eliminate static cling in clothing and other items, and various other purposes. However, regardless of whether a user wishes to discard or reuse the dryer sheet, the user must first locate the dryer sheet at the end of the laundry load, which can be difficult given the light weight and small size of dryer sheets and the tendency of the sheet to stick to a piece of fabric.
Existing dryer devices that attempt to solve the above problems have several drawbacks. For example, one known dryer ball and fabric softener combination includes securing the dryer sheet to the exterior of the dryer device. These devices still pose the risk of the dryer sheet becoming loose from the exterior of the dryer device. Certain dryer devices are rectangular and meant to stick to the side walls inside the dryer with a dryer sheet attached to the outside of the device. These devices do not move through the load so they do not provide the benefit of physically fluffing and softening fabrics by the movement of a dryer ball throughout the load. Thus, it is desirable to provide a dryer device that moves through a load of fabrics to physically fluff and soften a load of fabrics, while also moving a dryer sheet throughout the load of fabrics, all while keeping track of the dryer sheet to prohibit the dryer sheet from getting lost or stuck on one piece of fabric.